Nut-cracking machine.



Patentgd lune l7, I902. A. GEBSTMAYB.

NUT CRACKING I'M-\GI IINE.

(Application filed May 15, 1901.)

6 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

U U M, m w ,l n 3 iQi NQ WITNESSES ea-a 0% i% (2 A TZ'ORNEYS No. 702,72I, Patented lune l7, I902.

- A. GEBSTMAYR.

NUT CRACKING MACHINE. (Appfication filed New 15. 1961. No Model.) 6 Shaw-Sheet 2.

D 7 I e WITNESSES: INVEN OR. awazmm A 4270 4% No. 7o'2,72|. V Patentddjune fl, I902.

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NUT CRACKING MACHINE;

s Sheets-Sheet 3.

(Application filed May 15, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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AT-TORNEY8,

' Patented lune I7, .1902. A. GERSTMAY R. NUT CRACKING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 15, 1901.)

' 6Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

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P. n Y. A M T .s Du E G A No. 702,72l.

NUT CRACKING MAGHINE.

(Application m d m 15, 1901. I

' .BShBetv-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

'WITNESSES} $3 Patented June-l7, I902.

ALGERSTMAYB. NUT CRACKING MACHINE.

(pplication filed May 15, 1901.)

6 Sheets-sheaf 6.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES A TTORNE Y5,

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UNITED STATES;

PATENT OFFICE.

ANTOhLGERSTMAYR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LEOP OLD AFDUNNE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

. NUT-CRACKING MACHINE.

srncrrrcA'rronr rmi g part of Letters PatentNo. 702,721, dated June 17, 1902.

' Applieation filed May 15.1901. ISeriaI Il'o. 60.333. (1% model.)

that will greatly facilitate the operation over that of the devices ordinarily'u'sed for this purpose.

In the drawings, Figure a'topplan'of a machine embodying theimproved'features. Fig. 2 is a side elevation withportions of the supporting-framebroken away. Fig. 3 is'a transverse section on 'line,3, F.ig. 2. Fig.4 is a verticalsection on line/1, Fig.1,lo0k'ing in the direction indicated by-the arrow. 1 Fig. 5 is a broken-away vertical section on 1ine'5, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a'detail of 'a' locking device. Fig. 7 is a vertical section on line 7,'F ig. 1. Fig. 8 is a vertical section on line 8, Fig.1 Fig. 9 is a top plan showing, a number of nuts in position for the forward movement of the cracking-heads, the motion-transmitting mechanism shown in Fig.1 being'omitted. Fig. 10 is asimilarQview showing'thecracking or crushing heads engaging the nuts. Fig. 11 is a detached detail, and Fig 12 is a detached side elevation,of acam and roller for retracting one of the carriages.

A will representthe-'d'fferent parts of the main frame supporting the operating mechanism; A, the driving-shaft; B, a' countershaft running parallel therewith; C a second counter-shaft arranged at right angles thereto, and D a third counter-shaft mounted at right angles to theshaft -C and located at the opposite side of the machine. These shafts are provided with suitable journal-bearings in the supporting-frame, and'motion is transmitted'from the'driving-shaft by a pinion E,

mounted thereon, engaging a gear-wheel F on counter-shaft B, which has a pinion G mountedlon the opposite end thereof, which opposite each other.

engages a pinion 12, mounted on the adjacent end of counter-shaft C, which in turn carries a pinion 13 on its opposite end engaging a pinio'nl l'on the adjacent and of shaft D. I By this means a simultaneous motion is communicated to the difierent shafts disposed along three sidesof the machine and serves to actuate different parts of the working mechanism, as will be hereinafter set forth indetail. p

A number of nut crushing or cracking heads are arranged in twog'roups or series These heads are duplicates', but are differently mounted andhave different moveineiit'sl f'In this machine four heads are'shown in each series. The heads 15 on one side are What: may be termed the piston or anvil l heads, but will be re ferred to throughout thedescription as piston-heads'in distinguishingfrom the companion' series of crushing or hammer heads 16, which do not-h'avean independent move- ;ment from their meuntings. 'Anynumber of heads, more or lessthan that shown, may be used, in accordance with the capacity requiredin themachine. f

The piston-heads15 are hollow and are loosely mounted in a carriage '17 and have both a simultaneous and an independent movement with reference thereto-that is, supposing the carriage to have a backandfortht'r'av'el of' half an inch the reciprocating movement of the piston-heads in the same time will be approximately one inch,or double that of the space traversed by the supportingcarriage.

The carriage 17 rests loosely on a bed 18, having a border-frame 19, which rises above the level of the bed and in which the carriage is framed. This carriage is provided with vertical slots 20, FigsJl, 4, 7f, 9,'and'10,'which start in from the rear side, but stop just short of opening out through the front side. These slots are in-line with the piston-heads and correspond in number thereto. 1 A movement-plate 21, Figs. 1,4, 5, 7, 9, and 10, is

loosely mountedon" the carriage P7331116. is

adapted to have an independent movement thereon. This plate is provided with slots 22, which correspond to slots 20 in the carriage and are in line therewith. Screws or posts 23 are inserted down through slots 20 and 22 and are fixed in each of the pistonheads, as best shown in Fig. 7. The companion fulcrum-levers 24 are pivoted, as at Ct, to the respective ends of the carriage. The inner ends of these levers are forked and loosely embrace studs 25, fixed in the movement-plate 21. The outer ends of these levers are each provided with a slot 26, which loosely engages a post 27, fixed in the borderframe 19 of the carriage-bed 18. This provides for the proper leverage and change of position of the levers in actuating the plate 21.

An ejector-rod 28 extends longitudinally and loosely through each of the piston-heads. The outer ends of these rods are secured adjustably in a bridge 29 by means of set-screws 30. The bridge 29 is secured to the carriagebed by bolts 31. When the piston-heads are in their normal position, the inner ends of the ejector-rods project a little, as shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 9. These rods are stationary and serve the purpose of ejecting any portion of the nuts that may stick in the heads as they travel back to their normal position. The piston-heads are cupped out on their inner ends, as at b, Fig. (3, to better engage the spherical surface of the object being crushed. These ends are also provided with a number of slots 32 to facilitate the dislodgment or escape of the pieces of shell. A spring 33 is coiled around the outer end of each ejectorrod. The inner ends of these springs bear against the adjacent ends of the piston-heads and the outer ends against the transverse bar of a rectangular frame 34, the right-angle ends of which are secured to the carriage by bolts 35. When the carriage and piston heads are in their normal position, these springs are compressed between the frame 34 and the rear ends of the heads, and on the inward movement of the carriage the tension so stored up serves to force the piston-heads to the advanced position beyond the travel of the carriage, as shown in Fig. 10. The forward movement of the pistonheads is limited, and they are periodically"lo5ked-against a back movement just as the nuts are being crushed. Thelocking means employed will be described later on. It will be observed in Fig. 10 that some of the piston -heads are farther advanced than others. This provides for nuts of different dimensions, and each head will stop independently of the others when the nuts are clamped between the two series, as the propelling-springs permit of the forward movement being arrested at any point, in accordance with the length of the object clamped. The piston-heads are retracted by the plate 21 and the companion fulcrum-levers 24, the bottom of slots 22 in the plate bearing against the screws or pins and forcing the return of the piston-heads to their normalposition. The fulcrum-levers are actuated by the movement of the carriage 17. The inner ends of companion rods 36, Figs. 1, 9, and 10, are secured to carriage 17. The

outer bifurcated ends are disengaged and have each afriction-roller 37 journaled therein, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 4.; The companion cams 38 are mounted on the countershaft D. The high parts 39 of these cams are adapted once in each revolution to come in contact with friction-rollers 37 and impart an endwise movement to rods 36, and thereby transmit the required forward movement to carriage 17. The return movement of the carriage is accomplished through the medium of the companion bars 40, the inner ends of which are bolted to the carriage and the outer ends bent around and upwardly to form the hook ends 41, Fig. 4, with the inner side of which a lesser cam-piece 42, secured to the adjacent sides of the cams 38, is adapted to engage once in each revolution in retracting the carriage.

Then the series of piston heads have reached their forward clamping position,

means is provided for locking or holding the same stationary against a back movement when the series of crushing-heads on the opposite side make their last forward movement in completing the operation of crushing the nuts. This means or mechanism will be next described.

A yoke 43, Figs. 2, 4, 5, and 11, consist ing of the companion side bars 44 and the joining upturned stem end 45, is located under the carriage-bed, the stem end extending above the outer edge and having a frictionroller 46 journaled therein. The yoke is mounted on a pivot-rod 47, having its respective ends retained in lugs 48, projecting downwardly from the carriage bed. The open ends of the yoke are connected by a transverse bar 49, the respective ends of which are loosely secured in the slots 50 to provide for a forward-and-back movement of the bar in unison with that of the reciprocating carriage 17. The carriage is provided vertically with apertures 51, Figs. 4 and 5, in line with the under side of the series of piston-heads.

A number of plungers 52 are inserted in the apertures 51, one for each of the piston-heads. These plungers are provided with stems 53, the lower ends of which are threaded and adjustably secured in the transverse bar 49, as best shown in Figs. 2, 4, 5, and 11. The under side of the piston-heads is provided with serrations 54 and the upper ends of the plungers with serrations 55. When these two serrated surfaces are made to engage, the pistonheads are prevented from having a backward movement under pressure from the series of crushing-heads. A cam 56 is mounted on shaft D, and when the high partthereof comes in contact with the friction-roller 46 it has the efiect of depressing that end of the yoke and correspondingly elevating the opposite end carrying the plungers 52 and throwing the same into a lockingppgagement with the piston-heads. A roller 57 is journaled on one side of the cam 56. The lower end of a bar and are mounted in a carriage 60, resting on vances the carriage to the limit of its forward ing the companion carriage 17, carrying the 58 is secured to the stem end of yoke 43, as at d. .Ilhe upper part of this-bar terminates in the hook or curved end 59 and is positioned adjacent to one side'of cam 56,and in the path of the roller 57*. At the prOpertime in each revolution of shaft-D after cam 56shall have. passed out of .con'tactwith yOke-rollerdthe roller 57 is adapted to=come. .i n contact with the upper innencircumferential surfaces of the curved end of bar 58with an upward pull and return the yoke to its normal position i (shown in Figs. 4 and 5) and retracting the I locking-plungers from their engaged position with the piston-heads.

The series of crushing-heads are hollow the bed 18. Theseheads occupy a fixed working position with reference to their carriage and are longitudinally adjustable by means of set-screws 61. The crushing-heads are directly in line with the companion series of piston-heads. The contact. ends of these. heads are cupped like the piston-heads and provided with slots 62 for the escape of the fragments of shell.

The stationary ejector-rods d are inserted through the crushing-heads and have their rear ends secured in a bridge 63 .by means of adjusting setscrews 64. The inner ends of companion rods 65 are secured to carriage 60 and the outer disengaged ends provided with friction-rollers 66, as shown best in Fig; 1. The companion cams 67 are mounted on the driving-shaft B in line with the rods 65 and have a rolling contact with the rollers 66. The cams 67 are adapted to have two operative contacts in intermittingly advancing the carriage 60. The contour of thesecams is shown in Fig. 4 and the direction of rotation indicated by the arrow. The high part 68 has the first moving contact and advances the carriage 60 and the crushing-heads to the position shown in Fig. 10. In this position there is a distinct pause in the forward movement of the carriage until the still higher part 69 of the cam comes into engagement and admovement, which brings the ends of the crushing-heads to the line 70, Fig. 10, and the operation is completed. Themeans employed for returning this carriage to its-normal position is similar to that used in retractseries of piston-headson the opposite side, and consists of a bar 71, the inner end of which is attached to carriage 60, Fig. 1, and a cam 72 and a roller 73, journaled in the periphery thereof, as shown in Fig. 1. The outer end of the bar 71 is turned upward in position to be engaged once in each revolution by the cam 72 and its'roller and the can riage retracted. i

The mechanism for automatically carrying or feeding the nuts to the crushers will next be described. Thegeneral arrangement for this purpose is somewhat similar to that of the The respective ends of ;a subshaft 174 are journaled in the machine-frame. A sprocketwheel 75, providedwith an elongatedhub companionsprocket-wheel 77 is mounted on standards 79, but one of which is shown. .An endless sprocket-chain 80 is carried by these sprocket-wheels and passesover and under part 76, is rigidly mounted on thissha f-t. A I

a shaft-78, Fig. 2, journaled in companion the machine. A portionfof thepath trav- A eled by this chain lies between the compan- Y ing-heads to enter at'each end above the botv tom thereof. I V

A suitable nut holding. receptacle (not shown) will be arrangedin such relative-position with reference to sprocket-wheel 77 that the nut-carriers running up over the same will pass through the body of nuts and load up. The carriers at the point of loading up are inclosed on eachside by an inclined trough 82, adapted to receive the overflow and return the same to the nutholding receptacle. The carriers are ordinarily intended to hold one nut each, but at timesare .liable to pick up two or more which may project past the "respective ends of the carriers, the excess being dislodged by wings 83, forming a part of a guide-trough '84, which prevents a lateral play of the sprocket-chain'and ,carries and retains the same in a straight path. The troughserves the same purwardly onthe carriers should they momentarily adhere to the crushing-heads as they recede from each other and ends of the carriers.

ed-to have a periodical movement in bringingthe nuts into positionto be operated upon by the crushers. In this instance means are provided for periodically movingthe feed mechanism a distance equal to the space occupied by four of the carriers and correspondin g to the number of crushingheads in each series and four nuts cracked at each operation.

greater or less degree, in accordance with the required capacity of the machine.

A ratchet-wheel 86 is rigidly mounted on is pivoted to a movement tripping-lever 88, as at g, the opposite loose end engaging the ratchet-wheel 86, Figs. 1, 2, and t. The pawl 87 is held in its engagedpositionby aspring 89, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The lower end of the tripping-lever 88 is loosely mounted on subshaft '74, the upper loose end of which rests against theadjacent edge of pose and will dress the broken particles inlodge near the This may of course vbe varied in a the elongated hub 7 6. One end of apawl 87 The sprocket-chain s and carriers are adapt- IIO the machine-frame in the normalposition shown in Fig. 2. A crank-arm 90, Fig. 1, is mounted on shaft (1 and rotates therewith.

This crank-arm has a roller 91 journaled in the outer end thereof, which once in each ordinary endless elevator-belta'nd buckets. I

l revolution comes in contact with the upper loose end of the tripping-lever S8 and depresses the same to a certain point and has the effect of rotating the driving sprocketwheel and moves the sprocket-chain and nutcarriers a certain distance at predetermined intervals. When the roller 91 passes out of contact, the tripping-lever is returned to its normal position by a spring 92, ready for the next contact of the crank-arm and its roller.

The movements of the different parts are so arranged and timed with reference to each other that the operation of cracking nuts is performed with facility. As shown in Fig. 9, the loaded carriers have just moved into position to bring the nuts 93 between the crushingheads. The carriers are now at rest, and the crushing-heads begin their forward movement. The companion series have a simultaneous forward movement for a part of the time. The piston-head series move up to the nut-engaging position shown in Fig. 10, which is the limit of their forward movement. At the same time the companion heads move forward to the position shown in the same figure and come to rest momentarily and then receive a second forward impulse and crush the nuts. The companion series of heads are then returned to their normal position to clear the carriers, which are again moved the required distance to again bring a certain number of nuts into position to be operated upon, and so on continuously.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a number of piston-heads, of a carriage in which said heads are loosely mounted, means forimparting a forward-andback movement to said carriage, and means for reciprocating said piston-heads independently of the movement of the supporting-carriage, substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with asupporting-bed, of a carriage having a forward-and-back movement thereon, the piston-heads loosely mounted in said carriage and adapted to have both a movement with said carriage and a movement independent thereof, means for actuating the carriage, and means for reciprocating the piston-heads, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a carriage provided with vertical slots and having a forward-aud-back movement,of a number of piston-heads loosely mounted therein, a movement-plate mounted on said carriage, the companion fulcrum-levers, and the operative connection between the piston-heads, the movement-plate and said fulcrum-levers, substantially as described.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a supporting-bed, of a traveling carriage provided with vertical slots, of a movement-plate, slotted in line with said vertical slots, the series of piston-heads,

the screws or posts, inserted down through the slots in the carriage and movement-plate and fixed in the piston-heads, the fulcrumlevers pivoted at their longitudinal center to said carriage, the operative connection between said movement-plate and fulcrum-levers, whereby said piston-heads are retracted, and means for imparting a forward move ment thereto, substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a supporting-bed, of a traveling carriage provided with vertical slots and seated on said bed, a movement-plate correspondingly slotted and loosely mounted on the traveling carriage and having an independent movement thereon, a number of piston-heads having a reciprocating movement in said carriage, the screws or posts inserted down through said slotted parts and fixed in the piston-heads, the companion fulcrum-levers pivoted at their outer ends to said carriage and the inner ends loosely engaging the movement-piate, means for advancing the piston-heads on their forward movement, and the operative connection for actuating the fulcrum-levers in returning said heads to their normal position, substantially as described.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a traveling carriage, of the companion rods having their inner ends secured thereto and friction-rollers j ournaled in the outer ends thereof, a counter-shaft D, the companion cams mounted thereon and adapted oncein each revolution, to engage said rollers and impart a forward movement to said carriage, and means for returning the same to its normal position when said cams have passed out of contact, substantially as described.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a traveling carriage, of a number of piston-heads, adapted to have a reciprocating endwise movement therein, the locking-plungers inserted from the under side of said carriage in line with each of the piston-heads, and means for periodically throwing said plungers into and out of engagement with said heads, substantially as described.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a traveling carriage provided with apertures starting in from the under side, a number of piston-heads loosely mounted in said carriage, the locking-plungers inserted in said apertures, a yoke, a transverse bar having its respective ends loosely inserted in the open ends of said yoke and in which the lower stem ends of said plungers are secured, and means for rocking said yoke in throwing said plungers into and out of engagement with reference to said piston-heads, substantially as described.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a yoke, comprising companion side bars, provided with slots in their open ends, and an upturned stem end, a transverse bar, having its respective ends loosely inserted in said slots, a plurality of vertically moving plungers, having their lower ends securedin said transverse bar, the series of piston-heads, with which said plungers are adapted to periodicallyengage and lock the same against an endwise movement, and

meansfor imparting a rocking movement to;

said yoke, substantially asldescribed.

.10. In a machine of the class described, the combination with the piston-heads, the plurality of locking-plungers, the tilting yoke, the yoke-actuating cam," the shaft on which said cam is mounted, and means for returning said yoke to its normal position when the. actuating-cam rolls out of contact, substan tially as described.

1-1. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with a carriage having a forwardand-back movement, of a number of crushing-heads adjustably mounted therein, the

companion rods having their inner ends se. cured to said carriage and provided with fric tion-rollers in the outer disengaged ends, the

companion cams having two contacts with said rollers in each revolution and imparting two distinct forward movements to said carriage with a pause between said movements, and means for returningthe carriage to its normal position, substantially as described.

12. In a machine of the class described, the

, combination with a supporting-bed, of atraveling carriage mounted thereon, the crushing heads, inserted in said carriage and in line tween said carriage and cams, wherebysaid cams are adapted tohave two advancing contacts with said carriage in each revolution, the cam-shaft, and means for returning'said carriage to its normal position, substantially as described.

13. ha machine of theclass described, the

combination with a supporting-bed, of the companion carriages located thereon and having a reciprocating movement toward and awayfrom each other, a number of pistonheads loosely mounted in I one of said carriages, means for temporarilylocking the .pisston-heads against a back movement when the limit of their forward. movement is reached, a number of crushing-heads rigidly mounted in the companion carriage, means for advanc with the piston-heads. opposite thereto, the companion cams, the operative connection be- 

